Donetsk prepares for breakaway vote

Residents of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk are getting ready to vote on whether the region should break away from Ukraine and become independent.

More than 1,500 polling stations have been promised in the Donetsk region alone, and more in neighbouring Luhansk, for Sunday's referendum.

But there will be no international observers, the voters registry is outdated and there seems to be an abundant opportunity for electoral fraud.

"My task is to give every resident of our region an opportunity to vote," said Roman Lyagin, the head of the Central Election Commission.

Voters will be asked if they accept the creation of the Donetsk Peoples Republic.

Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan reports from Donetsk.